SOIL EROSION & SED.: UNIVERSITIES - S.B. 819: FLOOR ANALYSIS
Senate Bill 819 (as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Senator Ken Sikkema
Committee: Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs.
CONTENT
The bill would amend Part 91 (Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to include State public universities under the term "state agency", which currently means a principal State department.
Part 91 allows a State agency or an agency of a local unit to apply to the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for designation as an authorized public agency, by submitting to the Department the soil erosion and sedimentation control procedures governing all earth changes normally undertaken by the agency. If the DEQ finds that the procedures meet the requirements under Part 91 and the rules promulgated under it, the DEQ must designate the agency as an authorized public agency, which allows it to implement soil erosion and sedimentation control procedures with regard to earth changes undertaken by it.
After a date determined by the DEQ, but not later than January 11, 2004, a State agency or an agency of a local unit must not administer and enforce Part 91 and the rules as an authorized public agency unless the DEQ has approved the agency.
MCL 324.9101 - Legislative Analyst: N. Nagata
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would result in an indeterminate, but nominal, increase in Department of Environmental Quality administration and enforcement costs. The bill also would result in an indeterminate, but nominal, reduction in local administrative costs and revenues. At present, it appears that only two State public universities plan to seek designation as an authorized public agency. The bill would allow an additional 13 universities also to seek this designation.
Date Completed: 11-27-01 - Fiscal Analyst: P. GrahamFloor\sb819 - Bill Analysis @ http://www.senate.state.mi.us/sfa
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.